Fallout continues from Connecticut shooting

A movement to tighten gun control in America has taken on new momentum this week as Americans react to the shock of Friday's Connecticut school massacre.

From Dick's Sporting Goods halting sales of the weapon used in the shooting to the delaying of the release of violent motion pictures, many in the nation are considering similar efforts in hopes of stopping similar tragedies from happening in the future.

In Washington, some former opponents of gun control signaled that they may change their position, potentially giving stricter gun laws their best chance of passage in years.

Adam Lanza, the gunman in the Connecticut shooting rampage, fatally shot 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday. A 27th person, the gunman's mother, was found dead at a home in Newtown.

Here's a roundup of the fallout from the shooting that continued Tuesday:

Dick's Sporting Goods said it's suspending sales of modern rifles nationwide because of the school shooting in Connecticut. The company also says it's removing all guns from display at its store closest to Newtown, where the massacre took place. A statement posted on Dick's website expresses sympathy for the victims' families. It says sales of modern sporting rifles will be suspended during "this time of national mourning."

Walmart.com removed its information page on the Bushmaster .223, a semi-automatic rifle said to be used by Lanza. The nation's largest retailer said it removed the information page on Bushmaster "in light of the tragic events." However, it said it had made no changes to its sales policies on guns and ammunition.

Kory Lundberg, director of National Media Relations for Walmart, said the company does not sell guns online and there have been no changes to the assortment of guns sold in stores. "We remain dedicated to the safe and responsible sale of firearms in areas of the country where they are sold," Lundberg said.

The most notable rejection of the gun industry came when the private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management announced it would sell the maker of the rifle used in the massacre, which it called a "watershed event." The shooting "raised the national debate on gun control to an unprecedented level," Cerberus said in papers announcing the planned sale. "We are investors, not statesmen or policy makers."

Bushmaster, Remington and DPMS are among the brands made by Freedom Group Inc., the largest firearms maker in the U.S. The Madison, N.C., company sold 1.1 million rifles and shotguns last year, along with 2 billion rounds of ammunition. Its products are sold to law enforcement and military customers, as well as retailers who serve hunters and gun enthusiasts.

Shares in publicly traded gun makers dropped for a third-straight day on Tuesday. Shares of Sturm, Ruger & Co. dropped 7.7 percent to close at $40.60. They're down almost 11 percent since Thursday, the day before the shooting. Shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. fell 10 percent to $7.79 - down almost 15 percent from their Thursday close. Outdoor goods retailer Cabela's Inc. fell almost 6 percent to close at $38.77.

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said 2,000 firearms were seized from people in the state who have been legally barred from possessing them. The majority of firearms were seized during two 6-week sweeps in the state, according to a news release from Harris' office.

Congressional gun rights supporters showed an increased willingness Tuesday to consider new legislation to control firearms in the aftermath of the Connecticut school shootings - provided it also addresses mental health issues and the impact of violent video games. A former co-chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and 10-term House Republican Jack Kingston - a Georgia lawmaker elected with strong National Rifle Association backing - were the latest to join the call to consider gun control as part of a comprehensive, anti-violence effort next year.

The National Rifle Association issued a statement extending its condolences to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn, and announcing it will hold a "major" news conference on Dec. 21. "The National Rifle Association of America is made up of four million moms and dads, sons and daughters - and we were shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders in Newtown," the statement read.

The release also explained the NRA's removal of its Facebook page, the silence of its Twitter account and its leadership's refusal to speak to the press in the aftermath of the Friday attack that left 20 children and six adults dead. "Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting."

The Associated Press and Staff Writer Sandra Emerson contributed to this report.